[Marxism] Colombia: ITUC Report on links between Death Squads and DAS Security Service

[Greg McDonald <sabocat59@xxxxxxx>]

   http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0704/S00310.htm


Colombia: Damning New Evidence of Security Service

Thursday, 19 April 2007, 11:45 am
Press Release: International Trade Union Federation
Colombia: Damning New Evidence of Security Service Collaboration with  
Death Squads to Kill Unionists

Brussels, 18 April 2007 (ITUC OnLine): In an explosive new report  
submitted to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the ITUC  
has presented direct evidence of collusion between Colombia's  
notorious DAS Security Agency and paramilitary death squads in the  
murder of at least seven trade unionists since the early 1990's. The  
DAS (or "Administrative Security Department") is under the direct  
authority of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez, and has recently  
been the focus of similar revelations which have rocked Colombia's  
political establishment.

An investigation by the Attorney General's Office ("Fiscalia") has  
revealed that the DAS apparatus has long been pursuing a policy of  
secret monitoring and observation of legitimate trade union  
activities and in particular of union leaders. The new evidence  
includes the provision to the investigation of a list of 22 union  
leaders and one union advisor, who had been specifically identified  
by detectives from the National Intelligence Directorate. Seven of  
those on the list were killed following their identification by the  
Directorate.

The report to the ILO forms part of a complaint against the Colombian  
Government over persistent and severe violations of trade union  
rights. In a speech to an international conference on human rights in  
Colombia held at the European Parliament on 18 April, ITUC Human and  
Trade Union Rights Director Janek Kuczkiewicz called on the  
international community to step up pressure on the Colombian  
authorities to properly investigate the more than 2,000 killings of  
trade unionists, over one-fifth of whom were trade union leaders,  
between 1991 and 2006.

"Year after year, Colombia has been top of the list of countries  
where trade unionists are killed simply for their legitimate  
activities in support of workers' rights, leading to the destruction  
of thousands of lives and devastation of families throughout the  
country", said Kuczkiewicz. "Little wonder that the government and  
the judicial authorities have failed to investigate these terrible  
crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice. People in government  
throughout these years share the culpability. Today the government  
has the chance to ensure that justice is finally done, and that the  
fundamental rights of working men and women will in future be  
respected in full", he added.

In light of the situation, the ITUC has backed calls in the European  
Parliament questioning the continuation of trade privileges enjoyed  
by Colombia under the European Union's Generalised System of  
Preferences. These privileges are conditional on respect of  
fundamental trade union rights set out in ILO Conventions.
ENDS

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